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In this issue How to Have your Happiest Year Ever Best Baby Apps for New Parents What is a Montessori Pre School or Nursery?

Issue 04 Jan/Feb 2019 familiesonline.co.uk

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New Year How to Have your Happiest Year Ever By Dr Andy Cope

Share the ideas and schedule them to actually happen (where you can) in 2019.

The secret to happiness turns out to be not-so-secret. Family, relationships, love, human connection - that’s basically it! So are some quirky and fun tips taken from the science of positive psychology that will help your family towards the happiest year yet!

you love to the full 7 seconds. Obviously, don’t count out loud as that spoils the effect, and they might start wriggling after 4 or 5 seconds – but a 7 second hug says “I love you.” Everyone wins. Hugging releases oxytocin (a happy chemical) in you and the one you’re hugging.

Get Huggy Christmas and New Year is a time for family and friends and, chances are, you will have been giving and receiving more hugs than usual in the last few weeks. So how about continuing the hugging habit all year and using this scientiﬁc fact that might just change your life: apparently, the average hug lasts 2.1 seconds. So a quick one…two… and it’s done and dusted. However, for the love to really transfer a hug has to last 7 seconds or longer. So a top hugging tip is to treat the ones

Be a Hygge Spotter The Danes have a word – hygee (pronounced ‘hoo-ga’) – that has no direct translation in English. The closest I can give you is ‘comfort.’ For me hoo-ga is sitting by an open ﬁre, drinking hot chocolate, while a storm rages outside. And hoo-ga also being wrapped up snug and warmly on a snowy walk. Hoo-go is also sharing a tub of Quality Street while watching a family movie you’ve watched many times before. Work out what your hoo-ga moments are, and then get good at

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spotting them, all year round. This is linked with mindfulness and improves your happiness by enabling you to better appreciate more wonderful moments. Play As we grow up, we get weighed down with responsibilities and life can lose its lustre. Stop seeing yourself as a ‘responsible adult’ and start being an ‘inspirational adult.’ Rewind to when you were age 6, a time when everything was new and exciting. Start jumping in puddles and playing on the swings… Your children will love it! A year of Experiences Get everyone in your family to write an early Christmas list for December 2019. The exact question is this: What 20 things would you would like for Christmas? That aren’t things.

Celebrate What Hasn’t Happened Have you ever asked yourself, what hasn’t happened that I didn’t want that I haven’t celebrated? Feel free to read that line again. And again. And again? Sadly, unless you’re a black belt happiness ninja your children don’t sit in a maths lesson thinking how lucky they are to have a nice school and a wonderful teacher. They curse because they have to remember stuff. And when you’re stuck in traffic you don’t sit there marvelling at the sunglasses compartment and cup holders, you mutter and swear under your breath at the delay. The opposite of savouring good experiences is to notice the many things that could have gone badly, but didn’t. Hence the question again what hasn’t happened that you didn’t want that you haven’t celebrated? Here’s my list for today (and it’s only 7am): I woke up and didn’t have toothache. My laptop isn’t broken. I haven’t got measles. My children aren’t poorly. I haven’t just stubbed my toe, we haven’t run out of Cheerios, there hasn’t been an earthquake and I haven’t been bitten by a zombie. I mean, what a fabulous start to the day. None of those bad things has happened! Of course, it’s hard to notice something that didn’t happen. But it’s helpful to sometimes switch your thinking to all the bad things that could have happened, but didn’t. And then celebrating the positive result. Share it with your children and get them to think of examples. The chances are theirs will be much more creative than yours! Dr Andy Cope is a positive psychologist and bestselling author. His latest book Diary of a Brilliant Kid is available now on Amazon. For more information, visit www.artofbrilliance.co.uk

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in this

issue P4 news P8 Education Matters

Welcome

P5 Family Matters

So how many New Year resolutions are still going strong? Don’t be hard on yourself if they’re not a habit already – it all takes time and daily effort. Check out some alternative Do’s and Dont’s in our environmental feature Page 12 for your Best Year ever. Don’t wash the dishes, don’t ﬂush the toilet and do look for the ugly fruit and veg (post your best one onto our face book page for us all to see) - all sounds good to me.

P13 Clubs and Classes

Have you been thinking of starting a class for your little one to burn off all that energy – check out our Dance Benefits feature, page 13 – a first in a series of benefits of different clubs and classes. © Grahame Madge rspb-images.com.jpg

P15 What’s on & Where @FamNGMag

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Families NewcastleGateshead is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Newcastle are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Newcastle. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families Newcastle, its distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any Please recycle consequence thereof.

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Have you seen what else you can do at your local library? It’s not just about borrowing a book any more or reading your next novel, no, there is so much more on offer for children, families and adults: there are themed events, you can learn to code, learn chess, play minecraft, join a book club and sing along in rhyme time. For parents you can have free internet access, join a writing group or a new mum/expectant group, join a coffee morning and make new friends. For some New Year ideas check out what they have to offer you and your family. So welcome in 2019 and all your best intentions and lets make it the best family year yet. We have so many wonderful things to do right here on our doorstep – take a look at What’s on.

Happy New Year. Cáit

Diary is now open for 2019.

Do you run a family event/club or classes? Let us help you promote it. Email editor@familiesnewcastle.co.uk

Can you ﬁnd our Colourful Patchwork friend hiding in this issue? There are lots of elephants hiding. Count them up and send us your answer to competitions@familiesnewcastle.co.uk by January 25th for your chance to win a Family Ticket to Seven Stories. Use Elmer in email heading.

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News The Big Garden Birdwatch

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch takes place from 26 to 28 January and is the largest wildlife survey in the world. The information collected helps monitor bird species in the UK, and is great fun for children. To take part, you need to watch the birds in your garden

or local park for just one hour at some point over the three days and report your results to the RSPB. You can request a FREE Big Garden Birdwatch pack from the RSPB which includes a bird identiﬁcation chart and advice to help you attract wildlife to your garden. To make it fun, challenge your children to see who can spot the most birds. Take a bike ride to a local park to look for birds, or make a day trip out of it and spot birds in a new place. More info at www.rspb.org.uk

Kids Debit Card and App Teaches Value of Money and Giving

gohenry is a pre-paid debit card and app that allows parents to manage their children’s pocket money whilst teaching them good money habits and giving them ﬁnancial independence. Parents can top up the card with a regular allowance or set tasks for their children to

complete to earn extra money. Parents can decide where the card can be used (online, in-store or at cash machines) all within set spending limits. Children can set savings goals and choose how much pocket money and earned money they save. Now gohenry has teamed up with the NSPCC to launch a new Giving function, allowing children to make a one-off or regular donation to the NSPCC (capped at 20 pence per week). More info visit www.gohenry. co.uk/why-nspcc

Girls Play Less Sport than Boys

Boys spend signiﬁcantly longer than girls on sporting activities. A report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that boys spend an average of 40 minutes per day on sports activities, compared with 25 minutes a day for girls. But encouragingly, boys and girls who do participate in sport enjoy it equally, according to the study.

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One way parents can change this is by setting an example. Research shows that by being active themselves, parents, particularly mothers can inﬂuence their child’s activity levels. Another way is to make it social. Research by Women in Sport shows that girls are most interested in making friends and having fun when playing sport. Seek out clubs, classes or activities that may have girls of a similar age as your daughter or encourage her to take up new classes with her existing friends. More info: www.womeninsport.org

Spin a Tale during National Storytelling Week The first week of February marks National Storytelling Week, a chance to reflect on one of the oldest art forms in the world. We are all immersed in stories — from conversations during which we re-tell events in our lives, to watching our favourite television shows. Speech and language therapists believe that storytelling is vital for children’s academic success as it promotes narrative skills and strengthens the ability of children to correctly sequence ideas. To be a good reader and writer a child needs firstly to be a good speaker and listener. Above all though, storytelling is fun. Whether we are listening

to someone else’s story or telling our own, inventing and adapting narratives can open doors to exciting new worlds — both real and imaginary. National Storytelling Week takes place in storytelling clubs, theatres, museums, schools, hospitals, spoken word venues, and care homes. To ﬁnd a local event or to look through its extensive archive, visit www.sfs.org.uk

Improving the Number Foundations of Pre-Schoolers

A leading child psychologist from Kingston University has produced a series of number games for nurseries and parents which are proven to boost the conﬁdence and ability of pre-school children in maths in just 5 weeks. Dr Jo Van Herwegen created the games based on her research into the Approximate Number System (ANS), a mechanism used by the brain to differentiate between groups that have more or fewer items in them without counting. The ANS games are based on two foundations - estimation and matching approximate large amounts. “The activities we’ve developed are fun, rather than formal lesson plans, but they’re based on scientiﬁc evidence

about the cornerstones of mathematical learning and how to nurture this in young children.” “It’s all about the child knowing which number is larger and which is smaller, but not to the exact number” Dr Van Herwegen explained. Her research showed that playing these speciallydesigned games for 10 minutes a day for 5 weeks improved young children’s number foundations, the essential building blocks needed for mathematics. This improvement was still apparent 6 months later, when the children had started formal education. To download the free games, visit www.kingston.ac.uk/ research/research-showcase/ research-case-studies

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Family Matters Best Baby Apps for New Parents great reassurance on a range of baby-related issues at the click of a button, enabling you to act fast. More info www.redcross.org.uk/ﬁrstaid/ﬁrst-aid-apps

A new baby can cause untold disruption to routine and life in general. This is where the right apps can come into their own and make life a little bit easier. The following apps can help you track feedings, sleep times, decipher developmental milestones and build the most beautiful selection of photos. White Noise There are lots of apps that play ‘white noise’ to help your baby go to sleep. White Noise Lite is on android and iPhone and plays

ambient sounds such as waves crashing or rainfall. However, Spotify also has a great selection of white noise – and you reap the beneﬁt of everything else Spotify has to offer. More info at www.tmsoft.com/white-noise British Red Cross Baby and Child First Aid A brilliant app created by the experts at the British Red Cross to help you keep your little ones safe. Packed with videos, easy to follow advice and a test section, it offers

NCT Baby Change This helps you to locate changing facilities to use in your surrounding area and aims to take the stress away from being out of the house. The app relies on parents providing feedback on changing facilities after use and adding any new locations to the map. More info at www.nct.org.uk/parenting/ nct-babychange-app Baby Monitor 3G Allowing you to turn any connected device into a baby monitor, this app acts as a live audio and video baby monitor over Wi-Fi or mobile data and claims to have unlimited reach, working in a similar way to FaceTime or Skype. More info at www.babymonitor3g.com

Evergreen Life This app helps you keep track of the of your child’s medical history, including vaccinations, making it accessible to you on the move and whenever it is needed. It stores information such as blood group, vaccinations, allergies, diagnostic tests and results and medications as well as growth and development data. More info at www.evergreen-life.co.uk Baby Tracker This helps you track feeds, whether breast, bottle or solid so you can keep an eye on when and how much your baby is eating. There are also other baby feeding apps which can track things like which breast you last fed from, pumping sessions and how much breast milk you have stored in the fridge or freezer. www.nighp.com/babytracker/

Road Safety for Children The Green Cross Code: Stop, Look, Listen and Think! Your child may already be familiar with the Green Cross Code from school, but it’s up to you to reinforce it. Give them time and space to practise it, even if it means walking a few yards behind them.

Road accidents are a major cause of death and injury among the young, with the risk rising as children reach secondary school age and have more independence. Danger from traffic is also a big factor dictating whether children and young people are safe to walk and cycle to school,

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to the park or to see friends, and therefore can impede their ability to be healthy and socially active. Whatever your child’s age, road safety is one of the most important lessons they’ll learn but it can take years before they are fully competent as they need to make so many judgements.

Here are some basics: Find the Safest Place to Cross Encourage your child to look out for safe crossing spots eg. pedestrian crossings, islands and subways. Aim for them to cross at a spot where they can see clearly in all directions and where they can be seen, so not between parked cars. Stop Just Before Reaching the Kerb Teach your child to position themselves so they’re not too close to the edge of the kerb. This means they are safe to take their time looking around for traffic.

Look and Listen Teach your child to look all around to see if any traffic is coming and check that drivers can see them. Point out that they need to listen carefully for traffic too because sometimes you can hear it before you see it. If Traffic is Coming, Let It Pass Children ﬁnd it hard to judge the distance and speed of vehicles. Tell them that it is always better to take their time and wait for all traffic to pass, rather than rushing to cross – even if they are feeling impatient or running late! When it’s Safe, Go Straight across the Road - but Do Not Run Encourage your child to keep looking and listening as they cross. More info at www.Think.gov.uk

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Family Matters Parenting a Highly Sensitive Child By Mel Collins

awareness of subtleties is one of the gifts of sensitivity, but also help them understand that not all children will experience or feel what they do. It’s important to discuss their differences in a positive way. For example, you could say, “you know some children are good at sport and some aren’t, well, some children feel things like you do and some don’t.” This will help them to develop positive self-esteem as they grow.

One in ﬁve children is born with an innate temperament trait of high sensitivity (otherwise known as sensory processing sensitivity). This means that they tend to notice more in their environments and pick up on subtleties around them more than others. They also feel things more deeply and process everything more thoroughly

making them more emotionally reactive to positive or negative events. Highly sensitive children often dislike busy places, and if there is too much sensory or environmental stimuli or too much going on around them, their nervous system gets overstimulated and they can end up feeling overwhelmed.

Does this sound like your child? Still not sure? Check out the additional tick list: l Is your child very intuitive, l Do they notice slight reﬂective, empathic, temperature changes when compassionate and caring? others don’t? l Do they seem wiser than l Do they get deeply their years? distressed by another’s l Are they prone to having suffering? l Do they have ‘imaginary’ hurt feelings and cry more easily? friends, or see/sense things l Do they become very upset that others don’t? l Do they love being in by criticism? l Do they dislike change? And nature? l Are they creative or artistic? notice little changes that l Are they natural helpers? others wouldn’t? l Are they more hesitant l Do they struggle to wind meeting new people or in down and sleep after a busy new environments? or exciting day? l Do they prefer quiet play? l Do they respond better to l Do they tend to favour one gentle discipline rather than friend over being in a group loud or angry tones? situation?

Discussing Sensitivity with your Child Highly sensitive children are often mislabelled as shy, fussy, introverted, or even mildly autistic, but they are none of these things. Being highly sensitive is not a disorder, it’s an innate temperament trait. Sensitivity is often criticised or

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seen as a weakness or a ﬂaw, but it is actually a gift and a strength and it’s important to discuss sensitivity in a positive way with your child. Help them to recognise that being kind, empathic and compassionate are amazing qualities. Encourage them to trust what they feel and explain that their

Helping Children Thrive in a Non-Sensitive World Highly sensitive children often feel different to others and if their sensitivity is not understood or embraced they can grow up feeling very alone. What a highly sensitive child needs more than anything are parents that understand, support, nurture and embrace their sensitivity. It’s also important for highly sensitive children to know that there are other children like them. You can help them by taking them to places or activities where you think similar children may be present. Most are naturally creative or artistic, so music, arts, dance or craft clubs are just some examples. Become aware of your child’s triggers, notice when they start to become overwhelmed by environmental or sensory stimuli even if they aren’t able to. If they are at a

party and they tell you that the music is too loud and it’s giving them a headache, this is a possible indicator of overstimulation. Empower your child by giving them choices, help them ﬁnd the best way to reduce or manage the overstimulation before they become overwhelmed. You can ask if they would prefer to sit in another room for a while away from the noise and other children, if they would prefer to go outside for some fresh air and some downtime or if they need to go home. Telling a highly sensitive child that you will only be there another hour or so and to have a drink of water will not reduce their environmental and sensory sensitivity or feelings of being overwhelmed, it may just make them worse. Parenting is never easy. It can be extremely rewarding and challenging at the same time. But if you can learn as much as you can about your child’s trait, a highly sensitive child will ﬂourish and thrive, and their amazing depths of feeling will make a huge difference and positive contribution to this world. Mel Collins is an author, speaker and therapeutic counsellor. Her book The Handbook for Highly Sensitive People is published in January 2019 by Watkins Publishing. More info at www.melcollins.co.uk

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Family Matters What is a Montessori Pre-School or Nursery?

Many of us are familiar with the word “Montessori” in connection with education, but what exactly is the Montessori Method and how can it benefit children? The Montessori Method was developed 100 years ago by Dr Maria Montessori and recognises that children want to be free to learn by themselves and will naturally do so in the right environment. In the Montessori classroom, carefully planned activities and specialised equipment are provided for different levels of learning. A child is completely free to choose how he or she learns but you won’t generally find plastic nursery toys in a Montessori setting. The Montessori Method is child-centred and the curriculum is designed around the specific needs and abilities of each child as an individual, which allows each to explore and learn at his or her own pace. Children are encouraged to choose their own activities from a range of Montessori equipment and materials. Each individual piece is designed to teach a range of specific skills. Once shown how to use a piece of equipment, a child can then experiment until he gets it right. The equipment is specifically designed to be self-correcting which means children can learn by themselves, through their senses and at their own pace.

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Then, the equipment is designed to provide another challenge so that learning becomes progressively more difficult, providing the opportunity for children to progress. In this way, a child’s learning experience is accelerated. All the activities and Montessori equipment have precise locations on the shelves and when a child ﬁnishes an activity, he or she is encouraged to return it back to the same place. This helps children develop a sense of order and promotes self-discipline. At a Montessori nursery, there is generally only one piece of each equipment. “When a child is using a particular piece, other children must ask permission to join in” says Sonya Kanchan-Lal, Principal of Milkshake Montessori in Whitton. “Otherwise a child must wait until that piece of equjpment becomes free. This really teaches the children about sharing. They learn that although they are industriously involved in their individual work, they are also part of a co-operative community.” Julia Moody, Principal of Julia’s Montessori in Hampton says “One of the greatest beneﬁts of the Montessori Method is the focus on hands-on learning. Children work on activities that teach language, mathematics, culture, creative, practical life and sensory skills giving them a

broad and varied learning experience.”

for one another and building a sense of community.

Children learn to work on their own or as part of a group and the “prepared environment” encourages independence, conﬁdence, concentration, self-control, a sense of order, initiative, grace, courtesy, patience, compassion, negotiation and self-esteem.

Whilst all children are different and no hard and fast rules can be applied, research conducted by the University of Virginia in the US has shown that children who attend Montessori nurseries or pre-schools may be better prepared for English and maths learning when they start school. The research also demonstrated that these children scored higher in tests for “executive function.” This is the ability to adapt to changing and complex problems. Those children who attended Montessori nurseries or pre-schools also displayed a greater sense of justice and fairness and interacted with others in an emotional positive way.

“Children educated the Montessori way become great at problem solving and able to make decisions at an early age, which is a marvellous preparation for starting school” says Julia. In an EarlyYears setting, children are of mixed ages, allowing the older children to mentor the younger ones and the younger children to learn from the older children. The curriculum focuses on ‘key developmental milestones’ that link in nicely with the Early Years Foundation State Curriculum. Montessori encourages co-operative play, which enables and encourages children to share and work together exploring the various areas in the Montessori classroom, whilst learning respect

Choosing a pre-school or nursery setting for your child is never easy and it’s always advisable to visit and ask as many questions as possible. No one setting or type of setting suits every child, and, ultimately, your gut instinct on a setting’s suitability is most likely to lead you to the right decision!

Willows Montessori Nursery

Willows Montessori Nursery is a small, friendly, child centred nursery set in Ryton Village. The Nursery provides child care & nursery education for children from 0 – 5 years and encourages children’s independence and individuality whilst recognising that each child has their own unique potential. The Nursery follows the Montessori approach to education and is fully accredited by the Montessori Examination & Accreditation Board (MEAB). Indoors the children can follow their own interests, working independently with our extensive range of Montessori materials or

participate in adult led activities including cooking and woodwork. We teach our children the basics in Makaton with the “singing hands” approach and our friend Camembear teaches us French! We place great importance on the outdoor environment, with an extensive outdoor area of two large gardens and an allotment where the children enjoy growing their own fruits & vegetables. We also keep hens who provide us with eggs for our cooking activities. We offer Forest School sessions for our pre-schoolers, which take place in the local woods and our garden, where we have our ﬁre pit. Sessions involve climbing & sliding, building dens, swinging from rope swings in the trees, making creations with natural resources and embracing all that nature has to offer!

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Education Matters An inspirational start to education DAME ALLAN’S SCHOOLS building the future

Children at Dame Allan’s Schools are receiving an exceptional start to their education thanks to the Early Years provision at the Junior School and Nursery. The School has an outstanding purpose-built Early Years area for children in Nursery and Reception. As the ﬁrst experience in school is such a vital step in a child’s learning journey, staff at Dame Allan’s create a friendly, nurturing environment where having fun and learning go hand-in-hand. The children beneﬁt from outstanding outdoor education facilities. Classes held in the School’s outdoorclassroom ‘WoodlandWay’ and in The Edge yurt, encourage children to explore and be adventurous. Both facilities are central to the School’s exciting Skogsmulle programme, a Swedish educational initiative which centres on a fantasy

ﬁgure who informs children about nature through play and song. Outside school terms, a partnership with a wellestablished local provider of holiday activities allows Early Years pupils to access the School’s facilities all year round. The transition from Nursery to the next stage in school life is always a smooth one at Dame Allan’s with children stepping up to the Reception class within the same building. This all helps set the foundation for a fulﬁlling academic journey at the School which caters for children from Nurseryall thewayup to Year 6 at the same site, before they move onto the next stage at Dame Allan’s Senior Schools. Here, provision follows the successful Diamond Structure model of education which sees boys and girls educated separately as they progress through Years 7 to 11, and then together again in the mixed Sixth Form as they prepare to move on to life after school.

Five Tips for De-Stressing Getting to School Children don’t understand time in the same way as adults. This can make school mornings a stressful time of day for parents. Here are ﬁve tips to that may help make things a little easier. Tip One: The Crucial 10 Minutes Why not get up 10 minutes earlier? This will give you a chance to grab a cup of tea or coffee, have a shower and get dressed in less of a rush than usual. Being up 10 minutes earlier also gives you a fair chance of making sure both you and your children are ready 10 minutes before you have to leave.Thiswill giveyou time to gather your thoughts and make sure you have everything. No more rushing out of the door and rushing back to pick up forgotten items! Tip Two: The Night Before The night before, do everything that can be done to prepare for the morning. Lay out the school uniform, make packed lunches, sort snacks, check all homework and sports kit are where they should be. Make showers/baths and hair washes part of the night time

routine, rather than obstacles to overcome in the morning. Tip Three: Have a Checklist Either write an actual checklist for your child’s school morning routine, or just verbally repeat the jobs they are expected to do until they remember them. A checklist could include: eating breakfast, getting dressed, brushing teeth and hair, packing lunch and water bottle, putting on shoes and coat. It’s good to have a plan oftheirweeklyschool routine somewhere handy too so that you know when school library books are due back, which dayis swimming or games and so on. Tip Four: Provide a Pay Off Give kids an incentive so that if they ﬁnish their school morning routine early they are rewarded with some time for television, reading or something they would like to do before school. Tip Five: Use Devices Set reminders on your phone for special tasks such as remembering to give your child signed permission slips or leaving earlyfora school club. Thinkaboutanalarmforchildrenwho struggle to wake up. Set a timer for tasks such as 15 minutes to eat breakfast or5 minutes forshowering, so that you can keep your children on schedule.

Creating a brighter future. Dame Allan’s Nursery and Reception. The ideal foundation for your child’s future. For more information co ontact Rebecca Miller on 0191 275 0608. www ww ww.d w dameallans.co.uk

DAME ALLAN’S SCHOOLS building the future

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Education Matters Is your Child’s Vocabulary Holding Them Back? By Charlotte Gater

One of the biggest factors affecting your child’s ability to progress at school is their language skills. If they cannot understand what is being said or articulate their own thoughts, then school can be a confusing and isolating place. A recent speech by the Education Secretary, Damian Hinds, highlighted the need for children to develop good language skills “because when you’re behind from the start you rarely catch up.” According to the Department for Education, nearly one third of children ages 4 and 5 lack the language skills necessary to describe simple events or to even speak in sentences. Here are some ideas you can ﬁt into your busy family lives in order to help your little ones develop their language skills. Encourage Reading for Pleasure from an Early Age This ensures that positive reading habits are set up from the start. Building a love of stories, books and reading are key to developing a child’s vocabulary. For very young children, create opportunities for sharing books throughout the day, not just at bedtime. Lead by example and let your child see you reading for pleasure as they become independent readers themselves.

Attend Music Classes or Story Time Sessions These are also great ways to engage your child and build their language skills.

Don’t be Scared of Using Challenging Language Children learn from what is being said around them, so if you model using a variety of language then your child will learn more and start to use different words. Use more challenging words and then explain what they mean to increase their vocabulary.

Make Word Learning Fun Play quick and easy word games such as ‘word of the week’ where points are scored every time the word is used in context correctly. Traditional games such as Hangman, Scrabble and Boggle increase literacy skills. ‘I Spy’ is good for younger children and can be adapted for older children to ‘I hear with my little ear’ and then giving a clue to the meaning of a word for example “a word that means the opposite of ‘agree’” or “a word that explains how plants get energy”.

Join the Library Books can be expensive, and it may take time to ﬁnd the types of stories that engage your child. So join the library and tap into this free goldmine!

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Label your House Involve your child in labelling items around the house so they can learn lots of new words. Write the words and get your child to trace over or copy them if they are able. They can also draw pictures on the labels to help them remember the words.

Harness Technology Technology can help increase literacy skills if you use it in the right way. Some recommended resources are: Oxford Owl (www.oxfordowl. co.uk) has a series of free e-books 3 to 11 year olds, some of which you can listen to as well as read. There’s also lots of helpful resources you can use at home. Audio books are great when you’re traveling in the car or getting ready to go out. Listen to stories and then talk to your child about the story. Apps such as Pirate Phonics, Hairy Letters and Reading Eggs (www. readingeggs.co.uk) are great to get started with language learning. When you are out and about let your child take some photos to make a picture diary. Then when you get home look through the

photos and get them to describe what you did. You can also turn your adventures into a book. Book Creator (www.bookcreator. com) allows you to make 40 e-books of your own for free. Talk with your Child Conversation is key to building language skills. Whether it’s whilst having dinner, on the journey home from school or before they go to bed, take the time to have a chat with your child. Sometimes it’s hard to get anything out of children, and “ﬁne” or “okay” are given as standard answers. Try a few open questions to get them expanding their answers like “what was the best thing about your day?” Or “Tell me about what you did at nursery”. Charlotte Gater is Head of Curriculum at leading extra tuition provider Explore Learning.

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Education Matters The Importance of Lullabies By Laura Jane Foley

Lullabies have been around for thousands of years. Musicologists believe the ﬁrst lullabies were sung over 5000 years ago by the Babylonians. The fact that we’re still singing them today shows they certainly have longevity. Generations of parents have known that singing a lullaby to an infant has a lulling, calming effect. Across all times and languages, lullabies have the same soothing, hypnotic qualities. These are created by the use of repeated, simple one or two syllable words and repeating musical phrases which are easy to predict. Lullabies are necessarily easy to learn and sing. Infants need to recognise the familiar patterns of notes and words and parents need to be able to sing them without having any musical education or training. Traditionally lullabies were passed on through the generations from parent to child. Popular lullabies have stuck in the nation’s conscience due to the advent of recording, television and radio but there are hundreds of unknown lullabies which are just as beautiful and effective. However, recent research has uncovered that only 38% of parents sing to their child every day. Yet singing to your baby is just as important as reading to them. A singing voice has a greater calming effect than speech so singing has positive health and emotional beneﬁts not to mention the numerous

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studies which show that listening to music improves children’s intelligence.

and the “hush” sounds like the crashing waves of the sea. It’s calming and melodic.

Here is my top 5 list of lullabies to get you started:

Cradle Song or ‘Wiegenlied’ by Franz Schubert This simple lullaby uses few notes and echoes the rocking motion of lulling a baby to sleep. It was made famous by the superstar Italian Tenor Luciano Pavarotti who regularly sang

Brahms’s Lullaby Whether you know it was composed by Johannes Brahms or not, this is the tune you’ll hum if someone asks you to sing a lullaby. Composed in 1868 it is the most famous and recognisable lullaby in the world thanks, in part, to highly successful recordings by Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Originally written with German words (‘Guten Abend, Gut’ Nacht’) there are several English translations.

it at his concerts. Originally written in German, several English translations are available which include these pretty lyrics: “slumber, slumber, in sweet dreams reposing.” A Cradle Song by Ralph Vaughan Williams This beautiful lullaby is more interesting musically than the Schubert song. It has no repetition and has a range of well over an octave which is unusual as most lullabies use the same notes repeated in a limited range. The beautiful soaring melody by this twentieth century composer is complemented by the words of Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge: “Sleep sweet babe! My cares beguiling, Mother sits beside thee smiling”. You can ﬁnd recordings of all the above lullabies on YouTube. Laura-Jane Foley has also recorded lesser-known lullabies, classical songs and readings for her new album Songs For My Daughter released by the Lullaby Trust and available from Amazon or iTunes price £10.95.

Cradle Song by William Byrd I discovered this sweet Renaissance lullaby in an obscure out of print music book. I then spent several weeks tracking down the words for the missing second verse. The words are completely charming; it begins “my sweet, little darling, my comfort and joy”. It’s a fairly short lullaby and has a beautiful melody. I think it deserves to be much better known. Dalmatian Cradle Song This traditional lullaby was originally a peasant’s song from Dalmatia (a region in Croatia). Its lilting melody is hauntingly beautiful. This lullaby tells a simple story about a father being away at sea. The chorus begins “Hush, my babe, my little one”

Weekly family music-making classes for 0-4 year olds.

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New Year Six Ways to Stay Healthy during the Winter Months By Claire Winter Affective Disorder) which is caused by lack of sunlight and it’s recommended that you should try getting out for at least an hour a day in natural daylight. Midday on a sunny day is a good time to go out as that is when the sun is at its strongest. Using a light box, exercising and talking therapy can help people afflicted with SAD and if you think you or one of your family is affected, then talk to your GP.

It’s tough getting you and your family through a long British winter without succumbing to illness somewhere along the way. Here are our top tips for making it through to spring without getting out the tissues! Eat for Immunity Eat food that is rich in vitamins and minerals. Foods high in zinc, like lean meats, poultry, and baked beans can help balance your immune response. Green leafy vegetables like kale and Brussels sprouts are high in Vitamin C, which will also keep you healthier. Family lunches or dinners which include warm winter soups packed full of vegetables or fruit smoothies for breakfast (with some vegetables sneaked in if your kids will let you) are an excellent way to ensure you are all having more than your 5 a day. Supplement The NHS recommends that all children from the age of 6 months to 5 years are given vitamin supplements with A, C and D in them every day. Please note if your baby/child is having 500ml of formula or more, do not give them vitamin D, as formula milk is fortiﬁed with it. You may also be able to get vitamin drops for your baby if you qualify for Healthy Start. (Check eligibility at www.healthystart.nhs.uk).

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If you give your children a chewable supplement, make sure it is after they eat because some vitamins cannot be absorbed without food. It’s also a good idea for adults and children over 5 years to supplement with Vitamin D during the winter. It’s vital to keep our muscles and bones healthy and is primarily made by our skin’s reaction to the sun. During the winter months in the UK, the sun doesn’t contain enough UVB radiation to create it so we must rely on food and supplements. Vitamin D is found in meat, oily fish and eggs. Many nutritional experts recommend everyone taking Vitamin D supplements during the winter; try at least 10mcg of Vitamin D a day. You could also consider supplementing with Vitamin C and Zinc to ward off colds. It’s been scientifically proven that dosing up on Zinc in the first 24 hours of getting a cold can mean a quicker recovery. If you are not sure whether to give your child vitamin supplements always take advice from a medical professional or nutritional expert. Get Outdoors Make sure you and the family get outside. It’s thought that at least 2 million people in the UK suffer from SAD (Seasonal

Sleep Well Make sure adults in your family are getting 8 hours of sleep every night. If you are run down through lack of sleep, you are more susceptible to illness. Getting enough sleep will boost your immune system and help you fend off any nasty colds and illnesses. Sleep also supports healthy brain function and maintenance of your physical health. Toddlers should be getting 11 to 14 hours sleep a day, while pre-schoolers need 10-13 hours. School age children need 9 to 11 hours and teenagers 8 to 10 hours. Make sure your offspring have time away from electronic devices before bed. Having a hot bath and reading books is a great way for all ages to wind down for a restful night’s sleep. De-Stress Being stressed can make you more likely to catch a cold or illness because it reduces the body’s ability to ﬁght off infection. Regular exercise helps you de-stress and get ﬁtter, whilst meditation can also help you unwind. There are some excellent meditation and relaxation apps available. Headspace for kids focuses on calm, kindness and bedtime (www.headspace.com/kids). Calm (www.calm.com) also provides mindfulness and sleep stories for children of varying ages, whilst www.dreamykid.com has lots of great meditations and visualisations just for children and teens. Yoga sessions or a daily walk are also great ways to help you all wind down.

Wash your Hands Emphasise to all your family members the importance of washing hands regularly. Around 80% of infectious diseases are spread by touch. Make sure you explain the need to use hot water, anti-bacterial soap and wash hands for 45 seconds or longer. Teach children to rub the backs of their palms and hands, including their thumbs! Try Something New Don’t stay cooped up indoors, try something new as a family. Invest in wellies and wet weather gear and get exploring whatever the weather.

Outdoor Winter Fun Ideas Have a winter bonﬁre in the garden or use a ﬁre pit or chiminea, wrap up warm and roast some marshmallows. Explore a nearby woodland and build a camp. Set up a scavenger hunt, create clues for the kids to follow or get them to design one for you to follow. Go ice skating at an outdoor rink. Feed the birds or go bird watching. You could even make your own birdfeeders. Go on a winter picnic. Take blankets, sandwiches and hot soup in a thermos. Make snow paint. If we’re lucky enough to get a downfall this year, you can add food colouring to a spray bottle, get out in the garden and turn the white stuff multi-coloured!

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New Year Top Tips to Turn Your Family into Eco-Warriors By Isabel Thomas

strangest looking fruit and veg? No item is too blemished, big, small or gnarly – if they’re on the shelf, they’re safe to eat. Give them a home, so they don’t get thrown away – they’ll still taste delicious!

Saving the planet is easier than you think. And the whole family can get involved! Go Herbivore for a Day When it comes to gobbling up resources, meaty meals are the planet’s number one enemy. Each year, 7.6 billion humans chomp their way through meat from an amazing 65 billion animals. Raising these animals – and getting them from farm to fork – puts enormous pressure on the planet’s resources and is a big source of greenhouse gases. Avoid meat (and cheese) for just 1 day a week, and you could make a bigger impact than taking your family car off the road for 5 WEEKS. Do Less Washing Up You hate it, and the planet hates it too! Happily, putting less effort into doing the dishes is a win-win situation. An average family washing up by hand uses around three sinks full of water per day - 10 % of all their daily water. It’s possible to use much less if you avoid wasteful habits, like running the hot tap to rinse dishes. If your family uses a dishwasher, you’ll be VERY pleased to hear they can be kinder to the planet –

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as long as you don’t rinse the dishes first. Ban Baths One of the top ways to cut the volume of greenhouse gases our houses belch is to reduce the amount of water we heat up at home. Skipping even 1 bath a week can make a BIG difference. If you already prefer showers, don’t be too smug. Fast-flowing and rainfall shower heads use up to 17 litres of water per minute, meaning that an average 8 minute shower can use almost double the energy and water of a bath! To make showers eco-friendly, get out after 5 minutes. Lose your Bottle In the minute it took you to read this far, one MILLION plastic bottles have been bought, beginning a journey that alltoo-often ends in the stomachs of zooplankton, fish, albatross chicks, whales and seals. So, what can your family do? Invest in bottles that are easy to clean and reuse. Fill up before you go out for the day, and while you’re on the move – look out for water fountains or ask at a café or restaurant. If you find yourself filling up your water bottle in a coffee shop while the adultss

around you clutch disposable coffee cups with disposable plastic lids, be sure to bring out your best hard stares. Party for the Planet Birthdays only come once a year, so most party goods are disposable. Wrapping paper, cards, decorations, paper plates and napkins, plastic cups and cutlery are all designed to be used for a few hours and thrown away. It doesn’t have to be this way. Send invitations and thank you notes by email, make your own decorations, and ban napkins – provide a bowl of soapy water and a towel instead. Eat Ugly Food Shockingly, a THIRD of the food produced every year gets thrown away. The waste happens in many different places – on farms, where crops that don’t look perfect are left to rot; in supermarkets, where ‘ugly’ fruit and veg aren’t put out on display or are left on the shelves by shoppers; and in our homes, where food is forgotten at the back of the fridge until it’s too mouldy and disgusting to eat. Play this game in the supermarket – who can track down (and take home) the

Plan a Rubbish Day Out Imagine if your family stopped putting the bins out and stored all your rubbish at home instead. After a year, you’d be wading through more than a TONNE of packaging and food waste – the average for households in the UK. We’re lucky that our waste gets taken away every week or every fortnight – but it means we never get to see how much we really produce. So find out where your garbage goes once you’ve waved goodbye to the bin lorry. Many landfill and recycling sites offer free tours for individuals or groups. Once your family has seen the scale of a stinking landfill site, they’ll be inspired to reduce, reuse and recycle like never before. Plus your house will look REALLY tidy in comparison! Don’t Rush to Flush! Around a third of the water we use at home goes straight down the toilet! Research has shown that flushing less often could reduce our water usage and bills much more quickly than turning off the tap while brushing our teeth, or even taking shorter showers. ‘If it’s yellow, let it mellow’ is backed by science! Even easier is encouraging your family to take their first wee of the day in the shower – the focus of recent campaigns in Brazil and the UK. Doing just one daily wee in the shower could save 2,500 litres of water in a year – enough to fill a hot tub! (Though we definitely don’t recommend that – hot tubs are another ecobaddie!) Isabel Thomas is the author of This Book is Not Rubbish: 50 Ways to Ditch Plastic, Reduce Rubbish and Save the World, out now in paperback from Wren & Rook, price £6.99.

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Clubs and Classes Dance – Movement with Purpose

By Andrew Campbell

If your child is always prancing around the house practising their moves and can’t be dragged away from Strictly even if chocolate or ice cream are on offer, signing up for dance classes is a great way to tap into their enthusiasm for music and movement. As well as being lots of fun, dance classes offer a host of other advantages: Physical health Dance improves ﬂexibility, coordination, balance, range of motion, stamina, muscle tone, strength and posture. Self-awareness Through dance, children develop spatial awareness, become less clumsy and pay more attention to others sharing their space. They can feel more at home in their own skin. Self-expression Children struggling with language can express their feelings and creativity with immediacy in a positive way through dance and movement.

Socialisation Dance is a highly social activity. In a dance class, children learn how to work as part of a team, develop a greater sense of trust and co-operation, and make new friends. Cognitive Development Children strengthen their cognitive abilities and memory skills through learning and remembering choreography. Behaviour Dancing requires intense focus, discipline and co-ordination. This can have a calming effect and help children release pent-up energy Self-conﬁdence Dance helps build selfconﬁdence with each new routine they practice and master. There are a wide range of dance classes available – for both boys and girls – from pre-school ballet classes to primary ballet, tap, street dance, contemporary dance, pop dance and many more.

Young performers light up the Indigo at The 02

One of London’s most iconic music venues came alive with the passion of 400 young performers in November with a special performance from a Newcastle based theatre school who believes in giving its students incredible opportunities.

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The performers all attend various Razzamataz Theatre Schools across the country, including Razzamataz Newcastle and came together for one night to put on a gala display where they showcased their incredible talent, determination and love for the

performing arts. “I’m so proud of each and every student, teacher and staff member who put their heart and soul into every performance on the stage,” says Kayleigh Redford, Principal of Razzamataz Newcastle. “This night will stay with the children and families for life and we are so proud to be a part of making these magical memories.” The students at Razzamataz Newcastle put on an incredible performance called ‘Razz Army Rocks’ which showcased the students talents in pop singing, musical theatre and street dance as well as acting. The young cast have been rehearsing for months to get everything perfect. Some of the feedback from parents and students include this from Razz dad Neil Marshal “Thank you to all the

staff, not just for the opportunity but for all of the support and training every week to give them the confidence to do what they do. They were all absolutely brilliant!” The fun classes are for all children whatever their background or ability and there is a strong focus on keeping fit and active, having fun and making friends. Classes start at age two and go on to 18 and there are lots of opportunities to perform giving children the opportunity to grow in confidence. To enquire about joining Razzamataz Newcastle email Kayleigh on newcastle@razzamataz.co.uk Alternatively call 07772577855 or visit www.newcastle.razzamataz. co.uk

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What’s on & Where Dance your days away with a diddi dance franchise

If you’re looking for an award-winning, family-friendly business opportunity with a supportive franchise network then look no further! Now is your chance to be in business for yourself, not by yourself! Established in 2003 by professional dancer Anne-Marie Martin, diddi dance has, from day one, been the go to class for parents with active toddlers. diddi dance classes, parties and early years setting sessions

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are designed to engage and inspire children’s own creativity by using action songs, dancing games and props all to our own original, funky music. We are looking for more great franchisees to help us and join our mission to Get Children Moving! Our franchisees come from different backgrounds, but inevitably chose diddi dance because ofwhat we stand for and are trying to achieve within the preschool sector. Ourlow-cost franchise package of £4,995+VATcan suit anyonewho wants to run their own business. Contact franchise@diddidance.com or www.diddidance.com/franchise/

Have you visited Gosforth Civic Theatre, yet?

In Autumn 2016 Liberdade Community Development Trust, a charity who work with people with learning disabilities and autism, took over Gosforth Civic Hall, and have since turned a dormant, former council facility in to a vibrant café and arts venue in the heart of Gosforth. The ethos behind Gosforth Civic Theatre is inclusion and openness, a place where anyone is welcome to see a show, take part in a class, put on an event or meet up with friends. This ethos has meant there are great family vibes to the venue and for over a year the Theatre has run weekly Family Activities on a Monday; with a Babies and Toddlers free-play session from 9.30am, a free After School Film Club every week at 4pm, and a video gaming social Press Start - from 5.30pm. Every After School Film Club screening is relaxed and subtitled, and we are showing Marvel’s Black Panther on 24 February which will be shown with subtitles, after feedback from from one of Liberdade’s service users, Connor, who is deaf but struggles to get to

the cinema to see a Marvel Blockbuster has they are rarely shown with subtitles in commercial cinemas. In February half term, we are bringing 2 shows that went down a storm at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Captain Cauliﬂower and Marvin the Mischievous Moose, from Madetiquette theatre company, is a non-verbal comedy which follows the extremely silly adventures of the invincible Captain Cauliﬂower and his companion Marvin and their battles with their nemesis Captain Onion. While Four Go Wild in Wellies is a beautiful dance performance from Scotland’s inclusive dance company, Indepen-Dance4, themed around making friendships, the cast includes performers with additional needs. In 2019 there’s even more to look forward to with regular family theatre and dance, alongside cinema screenings and one-off events. To book event tickets or join our mailing list please visit www.gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk 0191 284 3700

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What’s on & Where Regular What’s on Time to Get Up at Seven Stories, Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Daily - until January 27th 2019 Free with admission price. A multi sensory adventure with sensory props suitable for children aged 0-4 years and their families. www.sevenstories.org.uk/ exhibitions/ttgu Circus! Show of Shows The Discovery Museum, Newcastle. Daily – until June 2nd 2019 Free includes school holiday activities inspired by the show. Celebrate 250 years of Circus in Great Britain through rare memorabilia and original props. Look into the history and the current changing face of circus today. Were Your Wings Were....Journeys with David Almond at Seven Stories, Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Daily – until 30th June 2019 Free with admission price. Exhibition delves into the writers dreamlike worlds and part of The Great Exhibition of the North. Suitable for children 7+ and their families. Annual pass available. www.sevenstories.org.uk/ exhibitions/713/where-your-wingswere-journeys-with-david-almond Rhymetimes at Gateshead Libraries 9.30am – 3pm Free events – just turn up. Rhymes and songs for your little ones to enjoy. Ideal for under 5’s. Check your local Library or ﬁnd on Facebook.com/ gatesheadlibraries Storytime at Seven Stories, Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle Upon Tyne. 10.30am/ 1pm/ 3.30pm daily Free with admission. Stories by the expert Story Catchers for the whole family. All included in normal admission fee. Toddler Time Sessions at Krazy Kingdom Monday – Friday Daily 10.30 & 1.30pm - £2.85 1-4yrs Daily Toddler sessions with a different theme each day. Free for 0-6 month/ £0.50 6-12 month. www.krazykingdom.com

Monday Babies and Toddlers Free Play session Gosforth Civic Theatre, Gosforth, 9.30am – 11.30am and 12.30pm – 2.30pm Free drop-in session for under 5’s. Lounge becomes a haven of fun with a large selection of toys and there is coffee and cake or lunch for the adults while they chat. Brunton Babies Group, St Aidan’s Church Community Room, Gosforth, NE3 5NF 9.45-11.45 am – no booking required A chance to meet other mums and relax, chat and watch your baby explore. For babies under one this is the place to come! www.newcastletoddlers.com or contact Ade Bilton 07742 522832

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Afterschool Film Club Gosforth CivicTheatre, Gosforth, NE3 3HD 3.30pm – 5.30pm. (Film starts at 3.45pm) Free – Term Time Only. A mixture of classic and modern kids movies with a U or PG certiﬁcate in the state of the art cinema. To check ﬁlms follow on facebook @gocivtheatre or call 0191 284 3700 *Children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Cafe open for drinks and snacks. Press Start – video gaming social Gosforth CivicTheatre, Gosforth, NE3 3HD 5.30pm 7-17years. Call 0191 284 3700 for more info.

Tuesday Bravo Drama Group, The Ark, Crawcrook, NE40 3UG 10 – 10.45 am - Term Time Only – Booking is essential. Bravo is a fun, imaginative environment which uses drama, dance and more to help your children’s conﬁdence ﬂourish. Price includes 30 minutes of free soft play. www.bravoperformance.co.uk or call 07419141234 Brunton Toddlers Group, St Aidans Community Centre, Gosforth, NE3 5NJ 10 – 11.45am – no booking required Pre School and early years activities from arts and crafts, music time & parachute games to trikes and dress up. www.newcastletoddlers.com or contact Ade Bilton 07742 522832

Wednesday Messy Play, The Ark, Crawcrook, NE40 3UG 10 – 11am Booking is required, £5 for 1st child and £4 extra siblings. Different weekly themes for kids aged 0-5 years, Tea/Coffee and juice included and an hour of soft play after. Book online at www.crawcrook.org.uk or tel. 0191 413 1339

Thursday Bringing in Baby Screenings Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle, NE1 6 GQ Screenings for parents with children under 2 years. Lights are up a little and sound is down for the enjoyment and comfort of your little ones. Baby change and bottle warming facilities are available with buggy park available. Some Sunday screenings are also available for family viewing. www.tynesidecinema.co.uk or call 0191 227 5500 Messy Play, The Ark, Crawcrook, NE40 3UG 10 – 11am – as above - but Term Time Only. Different weekly themes for kids aged 0-5 years, Tea/Coffee and juice included and an hour of soft play after. Book online at www.crawcrook.org.uk or tel. 0191 413 1339 Brunton Toddlers Group, St Aidans Community Centre, Gosforth, NE3 5NJ 10 – 11.45am – no booking required Pre School and early years activities from arts and crafts, music time & parachute games to trikes and dress up. www.newcastletoddlers.com or contact Ade Bilton 07742 522832

Friday St Mary’s Rhymetime – under 5’s St Mary’s Heritage Centre, Oakwellgate, Gateshead, NE8 2AU 10:30 – 11:00 / £ 1.00 - per child payable at the door. Fun session of songs, rhymes, stories and musical instruments to encourage children to engage with reading from an early age. Refreshments served afterwards. www.heritage@gateshead.gov.uk (0191) 433 4699 RytonToddlerGroup –TermTime Only Ryton Community Infant School, Main Road, Ryton, Tyne and Wear, NE40 3AF 9.30 – 11.00 / £1.00 per session Runs Weekly in Orange Class. Toys, games, art & baby area, drinks and snacks included. Everyone welcome. No booking required. 0191 4132776 / RytonCommunityInfantSchool@ Gateshead.gov.uk Brunton Babies Group, St Aidan’s Church Community Room, Gosforth, NE3 5NF 9.45-11.45 am – no booking required. A chance to meet other mums and relax, chat and watch your baby exlore. For babies under one this is the place to come! www.newcastletoddlers.com or contact Ade Bilton 07742 522832

Saturday Young Humans Art Club TheThough Foundation, Birtley, DH3 2TB 10am – 6-9 years, 12pm – 10-15 years. Weekly drop in sessions for young artists to explore techniques, develop skills and create their own sketchbook with the artist team. £12 pp. No need to book. E: learn@thoughtfoundation.co.uk for more info. Fuse Community Cinema, Prudhoe, NE42 5LJ 4pm and 7pm showings every second Saturday Check website or social media for listings/prices and to book online or you can purchase 30 mins before each start time from the Cinema Shop. Under 12’s must be accompanied by an adult. www.fusecinema.co.uk or Tel. 01661 839380

Sunday Family Film Club The Though Foundation, Birtley, DH3 2TB 1pm – 3pm. A lovely ﬁlm for your tiny humans each week £1pp tickets paid on entry. Parents can brunch (with friends) while their children are entertained. www.thoughtfoundation.co.uk www.facebook.com/ thoughtfoundation

Monday Community Session, The Ark, Crawcrook, NE40 3UG 1.30 – 3pm School Use Only – To Book in advance, FREE. Every Monday the Ark is available for local community groups/schools to book out privately for Free (donations accepted). Suitable for preschool to primary age. Users have included support groups for children and adults with learning difficulties, local charities and school groups for interactive R.E. lessons. www.crawcrook.org.uk or Tel. 0191 413 1339

Inclusive After school Film Club Gosforth CivicTheatre, Gosforth, NE3 3HD 3.30pm – 5.30pm. (Film starts at 3.45pm) Free – Term Time Only. A mixture of classic and modern kids movies with a U or PG certiﬁcate in the state of the art cinema. To check ﬁlms follow on facebook @ gocivtheatre or call 0191 284 3700 *Children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Cafe open for drinks and snacks.

Tuesday & Friday Inclusive Drop-In Sessions, Newburn Activity Centre, Grange Road, Newcastle, NE 10am- 12pm. Cost is £5.00 per person, carer’s/helpers go free. Sporting activities aimed at people with disabilities - including trampoline, archery (Tuesday only), cycling using our ﬂeet of adapted bikes, New age curling, boccia, gym use (induction needed), sensory room and Interactive room. We also run a fun based outdoor football session as part of the activities (Tuesday Only). The interactive room and sensory room are available everyday but pre-booking is recommended. Tel. 0191 2640014

Saturday Disability Friendly Hour at Inﬂatable Planet, Walker Activity Dome, NE6 3BR 3pm – 4pm. Every Saturday there is reduced capacity and quiet surroundings with extra support from staff for those with disabilities to use the facilities. www.inﬂatableplanet.co.uk

1stTuesdayofthe Month SEND Play Sessions at Krazy Kingdom, Annﬁeld Plain, Co. Durham DH9 7YB 4-6 pm or 6-8pm £5.00 per child For children with a range of special needs and disabilities. The doors are closed to general public and on-hand SEND specialist using animals as a therapy tool. Siblings welcome. Reserve your space at info@krazykingdom.com or Tel. 01207 528899

2ndThursdayoftheMonth SNAP Session The Ark, Crawcrook, NE40 3UG 4.30 – 6.30pm under 5’s £3.95 over 5’s £4.95. SNAP sessions are for children (and their siblings) with special needs and or disabilities. Both the soft play and sensory room are closed to general public, drinks and snacks are available to purchased and meal deals can be pre ordered up to 2pm on the day of SNAP. Suitable for preschool to primary school age. A short registration is required on 1st visit. www.crawcrook.org.uk or Tel. 0191 413 1339

1stSaturdayoftheMonth Early Bird Opening at Seven Stories, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ 9am – 10am - normal admission applies. For visitors on the Autism spectrum and their families. An early opening to ease your arrival and enjoy a stress free visit. No music or tannoy announcements. Sensory backpacks and ear defenders available at reception. Relaxed story time at 10am. Social story available on the website. Please call 0300 330 1095 or visit www.sevenstories.org.uk Families NewcastleGateshead 15

What’s on & Where January

26th January

2nd February

9th February

Armistice and Remembrance The Discovery Museum, Newcastle. Until January 27th 2019 Free Entry but Donations Welcome. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice and the end of the First World War. On display with Charge! The story of England’s Northern Cavalry.

Harry Potter Event Alnwick Library, Northumberland 10am – 11am – Free - Booking Required. Calling all young wizards, witches and muggles – enjoy magical crafts and games. For 8years+. Free but book your place online at Eventbrite or ask in library.

Harry Potter Event Hexham Library, Northumberland 2pm – 4pm – Free - Booking Required Calling all young wizards, witches and muggles – enjoy magical crafts and games. For 8years+. Free but book your place online at Eventbrite or ask in library.

Circus Stories Seven Stories, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ 10.30am – 12pm £5pp. The Circus is coming to town! A creative play workshop for children 4+ and their families. Games, stories and circus skills delivered by Circus Central. Each event is based on a different story. www.sevenstories.org.uk Tel. 03003301095

6th - 9th February

3rd January Boredom Buster Winter Bingo Prudhoe Library, Northumberland 2.30pm-3.30pm - Free – Booking Required. Winter bingo suitable for children aged 4-9 years old. Free but book your place online at Eventbrite or ask in library.

5th January Dark Skies at The Sill, Northumberland, NE47 7AN Family Astronomy. 6pm - 7pm Booking Required £10. A short fun introduction to astronomy and how to use telescopes and binoculars. Go Stargazing 8pm -10pm Booking Required £12 Adult and £10 Child. Stargazing session aimed at beginners for 11 years and older, refreshments included.

12th January Circus Stories Seven Stories, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ 10.30am – 12pm £5pp The Circus is coming to town! A creative play workshop for children 4+ and their families. Games, stories and circus skills delivered by Circus Central. Each event is based on a different story. www.sevenstories.org.uk Tel. 03003301095

Magical Moon Watch at The Sill, Northumberland, NE47 7AN 8pm Ticket must be booked online £12 Adult £10 Child. An observational session aimed at beginners 11 years and older. Telescopes and binoculars available, wear warm clothes and bring a torch. Weather permitting or a talk on the effects of the moon will take place.

26th - 28th January The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch takes place from 26 to 28 January and is the largest wildlife survey in the world. You can request a FREE Big Garden Birdwatch pack from the RSPB which includes a bird identiﬁcation chart and advice to help you attract wildlife to your garden. More info at www.rspb.org.uk

27th January

Cardboard Character Crafting Seven Stories, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ 10am/ 11am/ 12pm & 2pm £5pp Gather your left over Christmas boxes and wrapping and bring it along for some character recycling with imagination. Suitable for the whole family. 90 minute session. www.sevenstories.org.uk Tel. 03003301095

Free Family health walk The Rising Sun Country Park, North Tyneside Meet at the cafe at 10:15. Free Admission. Boasting a nature reserve with ponds, woodlands and extensive grasslands; a farm and Countryside Centre, the site is a haven for wildlife and an ideal place to relax and enjoy the great outdoors. Parking and disabled parking is provided within the grounds (or in the neighbouring ASDA Benton car park).

24th January

28th Jan - 1st February

19th & 20th January

NEW* Warhammer Club Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 5pm – 6.45pm Fortnightly £1 for 10-17 years old. Warhammer is a tabletop battle game of armies, get advice, paint your collection, discuss tactics or battle with other players. No booking required – just turn up.

25th & 26th January Gateshead Silent Film Festival St Mary’s Heritage Centre, Gateshead. In association with GLAS Performing Arts Academy let yourself be transported back to 1920’s to an era of silent movies accompanied by live piano music. Friday – Horror Night – Phantom of the Opera at 8pm, pizza available from 7pm. Tickets £10pp. Saturday Family Film – Funny Bones Hour at 5pm with pizza from 6pm. Tickets £5pp. Comedy Night – Shy Girl – at 8pm, pizza available from 6pm and bar open at 7pm both evenings. Tickets £10pp – available online at www.gateshead.gov.uk/whatson orr Tel. 0191 433 4699

16 Families NewcastleGateshead

National storytelling week. See local library for details or visit www.sfs.org.uk

February 2nd Feb- 31st March Museum of the Moon Centre for Life, Newcastle, NE1 4EP General admission applies - suitable for Family. The exhibit uses imagery captured by the NASA spacecraft Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and, at an approximate scale of 1:500,000, each centimetre of the sphere represents ﬁve kilometres of the Moon’s surface. Plus, additional related events and late entry to just visit this exhibition. Tel. 0191 243 8210 or visit www.life.org.uk

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Northern Stage, Newcastle NE1 7RH Based on the much loved picture book by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, A Live stage production, book online www.northernstage.co.uk or Tel. 0191 230 5151

7th February Harry Potter Event Morpeth Library, Northumberland 3.30pm – 4.30pm – Free - Booking Required. Calling all young wizards, witches and muggles – enjoy magical crafts and games. For 8years+. Free but book your place online at Eventbrite or ask in library. Harry Potter Event Cramlington Library, Northumberland 3.45pm – 4.45pm – Free - Booking Required. Calling all young wizards, witches and muggles – enjoy magical crafts and games. For 8years+. Free but book your place online at Eventbrite or ask in library. Harry Potter Event Prudhoe Library, Northumberland 4pm – 5.30pm – Free - Booking Required. Calling all young wizards, witches and muggles – enjoy magical crafts and games. For 8years+. Free but book your place online at Eventbrite or ask in library. Harry Potter Event Blaydon & Birtley Libraries, Gateshead 5pm – 6.30pm – Free - Booking Required through library of Gateshead Central Library. Calling all young wizards, witches and muggles – an evening of wizarding wonder for all things fantastical for all the family. For 7years+ and prize for the best dressed wizard. Harry Potter Event Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead 5pm – 6pm – Free - Booking Required at Gateshead Central Library. Calling all young wizards, witches and muggles – an evening of wizarding wonder for all things fantastical for all the family. For 7 years+ and prize for the best dressed wizard.

8th Feb Elmerand Friends: The ColourfulWorld of David McKee Seven Stories, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ Celebrate 30 years of Elmer the Patchwork Elephant and explore the magical world of Elmer. Discover original artwork and manuscripts. www.sevenstories.org.uk Tel. 0300 330 1095 Harry Potter Event Blyth Library, Northumberland 3.30pm – 4.30pm – Free - Booking Required. Calling all young wizards, witches and muggles – enjoy magical crafts and games. For 8years+. Free but book your place online at Eventbrite or ask in library. www.sevenstories.org.uk Tel. 0300 330 1095

13th - 24th February Bents Park, South Shields Officially licensed Drive-In event returns to Bents Park, with 12 unique nights of ﬁlm classics and new favourites for the whole family to enjoy during Valentine’s and Half Term. Full Film Listings will be announced and on sale from early January at www.thedriveinmovie.co.uk

18th - 23rd February Crawcrook Panto: What ever happened to Sleeping Beauty Centenary Methodist Church, Crawcrook 7pm nightly plus 2pm matinee Saturday 23rd – tickets £4 Adult £2 Child. Perfect family entertainment for February Half Term. Centenary Chapel have been putting on a Panto for over ﬁfty years so go along for a warm welcome and a good laugh. Family event. Tickets on sale February at www.facebook.com/ CentenaryPantomime

21st February Jack and the Beanstalk St Mary’s Heritage Centre, Gateshead 10am – 12pm £2 suitable for Families no booking required just turn up for a crafty session of painting, sticking and decorating plus refreshments.

21st February National Nest Box Week Gateshead Central Library £1 must book in advance. join in to make nest boxes for your feathered friends – a great follow on activity from Bird Watch week. Suitable for all ages. Tel. 0191 433 8420

21st February Captain Cauliﬂower and Marvin the Mischievous Moose Gosforth Civic Theatre 11am & 2pm Tickets £7 Adult and £6 Child. A non verbal comedy that follows the silly adventures of the invincible Captain Cauliﬂower and friends, performed by the Madetiquette Theatre. Suitable for ages 3 -7 years. Tel. 0191 284 3700

23rd February Four go Wild in Wellies Gosforth Civic Theatre 11am & 4pm Tickets £5 Adult and £3 Child. A dance performance themed around friendships performed by Indepen-Dance4 including cast performers with additional needs. Suitable for ages 0 – 5 years. Tel. 0191 284 3700

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